Wisconsin Statutes

Wis. Stat. § 15.02 (2026)

Offices, departments and independent agencies

✓ current as of July 2026

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15.0215.02 Offices, departments and independent agencies. The constitutional offices, administrative departments and independent agencies which comprise the executive branch of Wisconsin state government are structured as follows:

15.02(1)(1) Separate constitutional offices. The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and state treasurer each head a staff to be termed the “office” of the respective constitutional officer.

15.02(2)(2) Principal administrative units. The principal administrative unit of the executive branch is a “department” or an “independent agency”. Each such unit shall bear a title beginning with the words “State of Wisconsin” and continuing with “department of....” or with the name of the independent agency. A department may be headed by a constitutional officer, a secretary, a commission or a board. An independent agency may be headed by a commission, a commissioner or a board.

15.02(3)(3) Internal structure.

15.02(3)(a)(a) The secretary of each department may, subject to sub. (4), establish the internal structure within the office of secretary so as to best suit the purposes of his or her department. No secretary may authorize the designation of “assistant secretary” as the official position title of any employee of his or her department.

15.02(3)(b)(b) For field operations, departments may establish district or area offices which may cut across divisional lines of responsibility.

15.02(3)(c)(c) For their internal structure, all departments shall adhere to the following standard terms, and independent agencies are encouraged to review their internal structure and to adhere as much as possible to the following standard terms:

15.02(3)(c)1.1. The principal subunit of the department is the “division”. Each division shall be headed by an “administrator”. The office of credit unions in the department of financial institutions and the office of children’s mental health in the department of health services have the meaning of “division” and the director of credit unions in the department of financial institutions and the director of the office of children’s mental health in the department of health services have the meaning of “administrator” under this subdivision.

15.02(3)(c)2.2. The principal subunit of the division is the “bureau”. Each bureau shall be headed by a “director”. The office of the long-term care ombudsman under the board on aging and long-term care and the office of educational accountability in the department of public instruction have the meaning of “bureau” under this subdivision.

15.02(3)(c)2m.2m. Notwithstanding subds. 1. and 2., the principal subunit of the department of tourism is the “bureau”, which shall be headed by a “director”.

15.02(3)(c)3.3. If further subdivision is necessary, bureaus may be divided into subunits which shall be known as “sections” and which shall be headed by “chiefs” and sections may be divided into subunits which shall be known as “units” and which shall be headed by “supervisors”.

15.02(4)(4) Internal organization and allocation of functions. The head of each department or independent agency shall, subject to the approval of the governor, establish the internal organization of the department or independent agency and allocate and reallocate duties and functions not assigned by law to an officer or any subunit of the department or independent agency to promote economic and efficient administration and operation of the department or independent agency. The head may delegate and redelegate to any officer or employee of the department or independent agency any function vested by law in the head. The governor may delegate the authority to approve selected organizational changes to the head of any department or independent agency.

15.02 HistoryHistory: 1971 c. 261; 1973 c. 12; 1975 c. 39; 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 221; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1993 a. 16, 184, 215, 491; 1995 a. 27 ss. 75, 76, 76c and 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27; 2007 a. 20; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20.

15.02 AnnotationDiscussing limits of internal departmental reorganization. 61 Atty. Gen. 306.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1970–2024 · leading case: Clean Wisconsin, Inc. v. DNR, 2021 WI 72 (Wis. 2021).

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Clean Wisconsin, Inc. v. DNR, 2021 WI 72 (Wis. 2021). “§ 15.02 and Schmidt, 39 Wis. 2d at 57 ). Through Act 21, the legislature both withdrew a portion of agency power and dictated how that power is to be exercised, but the majority overrides those See Koschkee, 387 Wis.”

Timothy Zignego v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n, 2020 WI App 17 (Wis. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “§ 15.02(2) states in relevant part: “The principal administrative unit of the executive branch is a ‘department’ or an ‘independent agency.”

Odogba v. Wisconsin Dep't of Just., 22 F. Supp. 3d 895 (E.D. Wis. 2014). · cites it 2× “” Section 15.02 states that the principal administrative unit of the executive branch is a “department” or an “independent agency.”

Gaugert v. Duve, 2001 WI 83 (Wis. 2001). “Other commentators agree that this statutory notice "supersedes the common law, except as to those with actual notice of the pending action or who are not bona fide.”

Sunnyview Vill., Inc. v. Dep't of Admin., 311 N.W.2d 632 (Wis. 1981). “Sec. 15.02, Stats. 1979-80, provides as follows: “15.”

In Re Mittco, Inc., 44 B.R. 35 (Bankr. E.D. Wis. 1984). “Moore’s Manual, Federal Practice and Procedure, § 15.02[1] (1983). The crucial question, therefore, is whether or not there has been “good cause shown” which would justify a protective order.”

Robinson v. Kunach, 251 N.W.2d 449 (Wis. 1977). “16, Stats., entitled STRUCTURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, dealing with the “constitutional offices, administrative departments and independent agencies which comprise the executive branch of Wisconsin State government.”

Ripp Distrib. v. Ruby Distrib., 2024 WI App 24 (Wis. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “NUGENT, NEGOTIATED ACQUISITIONS OF COMPANIES, SUBSIDIARIES AND DIVISIONS § 15.02[2] (2023); ABA MODEL ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (2001) § 11.”

Wisconsin Legislature v. Andrea Palm, 2020 WI 42 (Wis. 2020). · cites it 2× “Agency Authority and Rulemaking Generally ¶188 Before examining the precise arguments of the parties regarding Order 28, it is helpful to understand the role administrative agencies and administrative rules play within our government.”

Avenue, Inc. v. La Follette, 515 N.W.2d 339 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994). “See § 15.02, STATS. As such, its objective is to carry out the programs and policies authorized by the legislative branch.”

Metro. Liquor Co. v. Heublein, Inc., 50 F.R.D. 73 (E.D. Wis. 1970). “Since the plaintiff could, if this motion were denied, start a new action based on the same cause of action, I deem it better to allow it to be reinstated in this one action. Under Rule 15(c), Federal Rules *75 of Civil Procedure, this amendment relates back to the date of the…”

— Wis. Stat. § 15.02(1) — 1 case

— Wis. Stat. § 15.02(2) — 1 case

Timothy Zignego v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n, 2020 WI App 17 (Wis. Ct. App. 2020). “§ 15.02(2) states in relevant part: “The principal administrative unit of the executive branch is a ‘department’ or an ‘independent agency.”

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